Sermon on Romans 4:1-5, 13-17 and John 3:1-17

Sermon on Romans 4:1-5, 13-17 John 3:1-17
Originally given 05 March 2023 at St. Alban’s Church, Coventry

When I worked in a High School in Washington, D.C., I remember one of my students had a tattoo on his arm that said ‘self made’. It wasn’t the first time I had come across the term ‘self made’, but I remember seeing it inked on a 16-year-old arm and being so very taken aback. Not because of the tattoo, but because of the message. I get the general idea of what it means to be self-made, but I can’t help but question whether anyone truly is self-made. Of course there are plenty of people with the so-called rags-to-riches stories. I myself come from a lower-class background, but now live quite comfortably in what would be considered middle-class comfort. But I believe these kinds of stories actually illustrate the opposite of self-made. I’m not in the position I’m in today based solely on my own actions, but rather on the actions of others and the faith they put in me. My brother, who is only four years older than me, made sure I was fed and ready for school every morning because my parents were working. My grandmother, Annie, who was not related to me by blood, but loved me like her own and taught me the value of love when I didn’t see it at home. My teachers, Mrs. Shook and Mrs. Roberts, who believed in me, my abilities, and my potential when nobody else did. All these people before I was 10-years-old showed they had faith in me. All these people contributed, although not explicitly, to my journey of faith. And above all, my journey was not made by me, but by God.

I believe God puts people along your path who work to facilitate the Gospel message of love in your life. People through whose outworkings you are able to journey closer to God. In Paul’s letter to the Romans that we heard today, he makes clear that we are not justified by works, but by faith. I am blessed to be in my position today because of other people’s faith in me, not because of my work ethic. If success was based on how hard someone worked, then I suspect it would be the politicians lined up at the food banks instead of the so-called ‘unskilled’ workers, whose backs are broken and whose hearts are weary from work. But Paul tells us it’s not about work, rather it’s about trusting in God. It’s not following all the laws of the Torah, but having faith in God’s covenantal promise to Abraham. And when we take that faith, and bring it out into the world, to the people we encounter in everyday life, then we are able to help them be transformed. We do not make them, nor are they self-made, but the reflection of God in our own faith can shine through onto them, allowing them to become more full in their own faith, and so more full in their life.

Thinking about what faith looks like, brings me to the Gospel passage. Nicodemus is a Pharisee, someone who is to translate the Jewish law into a set of rules for every situation so that the ordinary people can follow them. Nicodemus wants to understand the actions that need to be undertaken for salvation. But Jesus, although he performs many actions, is of the Spirit. Jesus says to Nicodemus, ‘Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.’ For obvious reasons, I’ve been thinking about giving birth a lot lately. Birth of the fleshy sort. All being well, at some point in the next three months the baby growing inside of me will come into the world. But I’ve also been thinking about spiritual birth. Next week during our service, we’ll have the privilege of welcoming Oheneba into our church family through water and the Holy Spirit. It takes such a huge leap of faith to trust that the Holy Spirit is indeed filling us as we enter the waters of baptism, or have our children baptised.

This past week in our Lenten Bible Study, a question was asked about when it’s better to keep faith hidden and when you should have it out in the open. Nicodemus had much to lose and so his faith was kept hidden in the darkness of night until he felt sure through his conversations with Jesus what kind of faith he had. Later in John’s Gospel, we see Nicodemus once again, this time in the light of day, helping Joseph of Arimathea prepare the body of Jesus Christ for burial. So in his story arc we see the faith of Nicodemus both in darkness and in light. We see when he finds it prudent to keep his faith secret and when he publicly proclaims his faith. Last year I preached on this same passage and posed the question ‘What Would Nicodemus Do?’ because all of us are likely to see at least part of ourselves in the story of Nicodemus. There are times in our life when we will keep silent about our faith and other times when we will let the world know we believe in the Gospel of Christ Jesus. There are times when we may feel we have much to lose in revealing our faith and times we openly proclaim ourselves as beloved children of God. But regardless of how we may feel in any given situation, we are always the beloved children of God. And as God’s beloved children, we are in a position to reflect God’s love for others, God’s faith in others, in all that we do.

In going forward with faith in all that we do, we will reflect God in our actions. And in that reflection, people will see in us God’s love for them. People will see that they are not self-made, they are not fully themselves through their own actions. By living in faith, we model for others that they are fully worthy of God’s freely given, and unearned love for them. So others will see God has made them and God loves them. Just as God loves you.

Sermon on Trinity Sunday

Sermon for Trinity Sunday (Romans 5:1-5; John 16:12-15)
Originally given 12 June 2022 at St. Alban’s Church, Coventry

Today the Western Christian Church celebrates Trinity Sunday. Perhaps foolishly, I actually requested to preach today, because I am fascinated by the trinity, and I find that I’m constantly discovering new ways of exploring it. On this Sunday, we celebrate the mystery of our triune God. It truly is a mystery, inexplicable for the human experience, because there is no other thing on this earth that is exactly the same. Though some people use examples of water, ice, and steam, or a single cloth that can be folded into three, that still doesn’t quite grasp the state of being always as one and always as three, (and those examples are actually heretical). God is both one and three persons. We can’t actually explain it through analogies and metaphors. One could say it is ineffable. 

Traditionally the three distinct persons of the Holy Trinity are described as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. But there are various other descriptors, such as Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer, which could be said to assign each person of the trinity one aspect of God. Jim Cotter suggests Earth-maker, Pain-Bearer, Life-giver. This could be translated as the same idea as the previous one, but perhaps with more understandable language. There is also the alternative of using non-human words such as Breath, Pulse, Power. For me, my personal understanding of the Trinity is Grandmother, Lover, Muse, because that is how I understand my multifaceted relationship with God. That works for me now on my faith journey, but it was different ten years ago, and it will likely change again. Our relationship with God is constantly evolving and developing. But I think it’s vital to come to your own understanding of how you relate to the Trinity, because it is both holy and personal. In order for Christians to grow in our understanding of our Triune God, we need to personally connect, to create a relationship. Because the root of the Trinity is relationship and the root of God, in all Her persons, is love.

Talking about the relationship of the trinity brings to mind one of my favourite words I picked up while in Theological College – perichoresis. It’s not just that I love to say the word perichoresis, but I also love the concept that it illustrates. Perichoresis refers to the trinitarian relationship of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (or Grandmother, Lover, Muse for my palate). This holy relationship is a loving dance of mutuality. It is free of hierarchy or patriarchy. It is holy and spiritual and sensual and pure. It is a relationship of give and take, rooted in love. Fulfilling each other, embracing each other, submitting to each other. And this is another reminder of how impossible the trinity is to describe in human words, because human relationships traditionally have a hierarchy within them. Sometimes this is unconscious. As a feminist I am very aware of hierarchical gender roles and do my best to challenge them. Nevertheless, there is always an imbalance of some kind, and so humans are unable to attain the perfection of the Holy Trinity.

That being said, the relationship of the trinity is foundational to my understanding of how human relationships can strive to become holy. It is not a question of sexuality or gender, but a promise based in love. A promise to love, respect, and submit to one another, but in a holy submission. This holy submission is not about one person being inferior or superior to another, but rather both people loving each other as they love themselves. Filling in the gaps of the other person. Lifting each other up to help each other be the best version of themselves. And it doesn’t have to be exclusive to marriages or intimate relationships, friendships would benefit from this as well. Where there is love of any kind between two people, God is there.

In the Christian faith, love is always the answer. Jesus, God incarnate, became a poor and fragile human being, not to show weakness, but to show love. Mary served Jesus, washing his feet with expensive perfume, not to become inferior, but to show love. Mary, the mother of God, glorified being the servant of God, not because of submission, but because of love. Time and again, throughout the Gospels, the stories told reflect love. Within human relationships, love is shown in the mutuality, the give and take between the people involved. 

Both of our readings today say that we are all filled with the Holy Spirit. In the Gospel reading, Jesus promises us that the Holy Spirit will give us knowledge of God. The Romans reading says our hearts are filled with God’s love through the Holy Spirit. Last week at Pentecost we were reminded that God is always with us, filling us with the guidance, comfort, and help of the Holy Spirit. Since we are all filled with the Holy Spirit, perhaps we can come even closer to the perfection of the Holy Trinity in our relationships. Because when God is at the centre, two people become a trinity.

So I encourage you to pray for God to come into your relationships. Especially for relationships that have become difficult or painful, pray for the love of God to be a balm and bring you to a healthy place with that person, even if that means keeping a distance. But also for those relationships that are joyful and life-giving, the love of God can further enhance your bond. Although we all fall short of perfection, we can still pray to come closer to the perfection of our triune God: Our Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer.  

Sermon on Matthew 4:1-11 and Romans 5:12-19

Sermon on Matthew 4:1-11 and Romans 5:12-19
Given 01 March 2020 at Four Acres Care Home

The Gospel reading this evening is about the temptation of Jesus. As I considered the reading, I began to question what it is that tempts humans. The first thing I thought of was wealth. But the problem with money is you can’t take it to the grave. And anyway, Jesus told us to store our treasure in heaven. So if it’s not riches, is it perhaps life that tempts us? If you were offered the elixir of eternal life, would you drink it?

A few weeks ago, I heard someone say that humans are too concerned with their own survival. At first I was a little confused by the comment. I thought that’s the point of life, to live, to survive. Otherwise, what is there? But then I thought about it logically and realised nobody gets out of here alive. Jesus Christ himself died in his human form. So, would you be tempted by life eternal, a life experienced by no other human in history?

When we look at the health and beauty industry worth billions of pounds, isn’t that just Satan tempting us with stones? Jesus said, ‘One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ Our culture is taught that death and dying are taboo subjects. We aren’t told that loved ones die, but rather they’ve ‘passed away’. When someone receives a terminal diagnosis, we talk about the power of healing prayer instead of praying for comfort in the knowledge of death. All of this echoes our human desire for the survival of our own human flesh.

I think all this points to the greatest human temptation: the desire to beat a human death. Honestly, it makes sense. We all fear the unknown. Even the most devout Christian cannot possibly know what lies behind the veil of death. But not knowing, doesn’t mean we need to look at death as something to fear. One of my favourite fictional characters explained, ‘Death is but the next great adventure’.

For Christians, this sentiment couldn’t be more true. In the epistle reading, Paul talks about death in Adam, but life in Christ. Though we are all born mortals with an expiry date for our flesh, we have the assurance that we will become a new creation in Christ.

Think of a time when you were care-free, with no worries, no challenges, no pain, a time with no tears or struggles. Perhaps it was many years ago, in your golden days of youth. The temptation of the devil is giving us that yearning for a time we can never return to. But the hope in Christ is the promise of a Kingdom in which there is no pain and no tears, where death is no more.

We need not be concerned with our own survival. The shackles of our mortal flesh are the temptation that keeps us from fully loving Christ. Amen.

 

Sermon on Priscilla and Aquila (Acts 18:1-3; 18-19; 24-26; Romans 16:3-5)

Sermon on Priscilla and Aquila (Acts 18:1-3; 18-19; 24-26; Romans 16:3-5)
Given 11 February 2018 at Studley Parish Centre

Where do you see yourself in five years’ time?

How many times have you heard that question? If you’ve ever filled in an application or attended an interview, chances are that you’ve been asked your five-year plan. As for me, I’ve always been a planner. Forget five years, that’s far too short a time – 10, 15, 20, I had it all figured out. I always knew exactly where I was going to end up and what I was going to be doing… and then I fell in love with an Englishman…

Sure, it wasn’t the end of the world. English people make plans too. We were just going to need a joint five-year plan. But Alexander and I had it all figured out. We were going to teach in Germany. That was the beginning of our five-year plan. And we did become teachers… in Jakarta, Indonesia. It was fine. We’d just switch the location of our plan, our five-year plan… After one year we moved to Poland. We decided we’d just need to settle in Poland and then start a family in the next five years. Fifteen months later we were moving to England because I was pregnant with Franklin. We had planned for Franklin, we just didn’t anticipate he would arrive so soon. But we had figured out how to roll with the punches. We’d get back to a modified five-year plan. I can remember watching Alex take down Franklin’s bedside cot and telling him we could get it out for the next baby in five years’ time… you’ve all met Andrew?

They say life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans. I can just imagine Priscilla and Aquila starting their marital life filled with plans for the future. Perhaps they were hoping to expand their business throughout Rome. Then they were exiled. Once they set up shop in Corinth, they probably planned to establish themselves there. Then along came Paul. On their arrival in Ephesus, perhaps they planned to live a quiet life, worshipping as just the two of them. Then they heard Apollos speaking, and instructed him in the ways of the Lord.

Jeremiah 29:11 is a verse I cling to when life isn’t going the way I planned. It says, “’I know the plans I have for you’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’” At the end of the day, our five-year plan does not matter in the least! It is the eternal plan of our Father in heaven that will get us to where we need to be. Life may not look how we expect it to, but if we trust in the Lord with great faith we can overcome any obstacles along the path.

Priscilla and Aquila are models for this strong Christian faith. They were exiled from their home, from all that they knew, and managed to continue their trade as tent-makers. This enabled them to meet Paul who grew and strengthened their faith. The three of them had such a close bond that they travelled together. On their travels, Aquila and Priscilla met Apollos and, although he was a highly educated man, they were able to teach him a deeper understanding of the sacrifice of Christ. Through faith, Priscilla and Aquila went from refugees to Christian leaders.

The fact that Priscilla and Aquila were tent-makers is an interesting little nugget when looking closer to the New Testament. Eskenosen is a Greek word meaning “to have one’s tent”. And Eskenosen is the word used in John 1:14 when it says Christ dwelt among us. The Greek translation is literally that He made His tent among us. Why a tent? What are the characteristics of a tent? Firstly, a tent can be constructed anywhere. When saying Christ built His tent among us, we could be referring to a physical location, as in Bethlehem, Nazareth, or anywhere else. But as Christians, Christ has also built His tent in our hearts. He is with us always, in all ways.

Another facet of a tent is that it is oftentimes temporary. We only had Christ on loan on this earth. He was never meant to stay. His body was a temporary vessel sacrificed for us so that we might find our permanent home with His Father, our God, in Heaven.

Because tents can be easily erected anywhere, they make an easy home for people living as refugees. This theme of refugee and exile can be found throughout the Bible. As in the story of Aquila and Priscilla, the Jewish people have often been forced into exile. Even Jesus Christ himself had to flee as a baby for fear of execution under King Herod. But, in times of adversity and struggle, God’s love has a way of shining through and strengthening us.

As for Aquila and Priscilla, they were strengthened not only as individuals, but also within their marriage. Each time they are mentioned, Priscilla and Aquila are always mentioned together. Furthermore, the order of the names is interchangeable – this speaks volumes! At that time, wives were viewed as the property of their husbands, but since Priscilla’s name comes first as often as Aquila’s name, she is obviously viewed not as property, but as a genuine partner. They shared a real love, with a God-centred marriage. And because they were God-centred, their faith sustained them through challenging times.

We’ve all had different journeys, but every one of us has had hard times to overcome. Everything from health failures, to financial crises, to schoolground bullying, to whatever else mars the human condition – we’ve all been there at one time. Some of us are struggling right now. But whatever burdens you, nothing is too big or too small for Jesus. Through Christ’s love, we can overcome all obstacles.

In closing, let us take a moment to reflect on the obstacles we need to overcome. Lay your worries on Christ. Lay your pain on Christ. Open your heart to Him and lay yourself before the Cross. Let us put all that burdens us before God. And with His love, we shall overcome. Amen.

Sermon on Matthew 22:15-22

Sermon on Matthew 22:15-22
Given 22 October 2017 at Studley Parish Church

Have you ever lied? How can you call yourself faithful if you have lied? Because the 9th commandment says not to bear false witness against your neighbour (Exodus 20:16). Do you love your neighbour as yourself and do you pray for those who you don’t like? Because how can you call yourself Christian if you don’t love your enemies? Since Christ did say “…love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” (Matthew 5:44) If God is all-knowing, then why did He put the tree of knowledge in the Garden of Eden? I mean, He should have known Adam and Eve would eat from it causing the fall of Human (Genesis 3:3). And if God is all-loving, why did he let my friend Rachel die from colon cancer at the age of thirty?

I actually have my own answers for all of these questions, though these topics are a bit too deep and complicated for a ten minute sermon on a Sunday morning. So the real question I have is how many of you have confronted these types of questions when you reveal to people that you are a Christian?

The first verses of today’s reading are about the Pharisees trying to trap Jesus into saying the wrong thing. Many times people will try to trap us in our faith and trick us into giving what they think to be the wrong answers. Many non-believers are so arrogant in their non-belief they want to catch us out, make us doubt, or convince us we don’t really know our faith.

But not only do we encounter personal trials of trying to justify our beliefs and evading tricky and complex topics among friends and family, we also have to navigate a world that is incessantly trying to trap us. The fact is that the world is of the flesh, and as Christians we are instructed to battle against the flesh.

See, the trickery of the world is to convince us we are not ENOUGH. Not smart enough, not slim enough, not healthy, funny, or talented enough. Just look at any newsstand and you can see that they’re selling the idea YOU are not enough, but according to the world, these people on the cover of the magazine are. You are not enough, but you can spend your money to find out how the world thinks you can become enough. Spend your money to find out how to get perfect abs, a perfect sex life, the perfect job. Spend your money to find out what perfection looks like.

But let me save you a few quid: To find perfection, simply look in a mirror. If we know that God is perfect and we know that we were created in His image (Genesis 1:27) and He doesn’t make mistakes, then it logically follows we must only look to our true selves to find perfection.

Which brings me back to today’s reading: “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and give to God what is God’s.” I hope we all pay our taxes and follow the laws of the land, but do we know what belongs to God? If coins are made by Caesar, what is made of God? Well, obviously, the answer is everything, but especially us.

God created each one of us uniquely as individuals with our own talents and gifts. We all have different abilities that we are called to use to the glory of God. In Paul’s letter to the Romans he says:

“We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith;  if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach;  if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.”

To summarise, we have all been perfectly created by God with special gifts that only we can give. When Christ commands that we give to God what is God’s, the expectation is that we give ourselves; the understanding is that we are more than enough.

Each of us has a calling, something that we were quite literally made to do. Sometimes our calling is not only apparent but easy to follow. Other times the path to our calling is challenging and it may seem easier to turn away from it. But if we turn away from that which God created us to do, then we are denying ourselves and denying God. When we ignore our calling, we are not giving to God what is rightfully His, that which he made us for.

Sometimes, the trickery of the world will lead us away from our calling, but with vigilant prayer we can remind ourselves of our reason for living as Christians. That is to fulfil our God-given purpose and thereby give ourselves to God.

As we navigate the flesh of this word, we must always keep our hearts on Christ. In our daily lives as we try to model a Christian life, we will inevitably fail from time to time. As we are only human we will get caught up in the distractions of Satan. And that’s okay. As long as we come back to Jesus, all will be forgiven. We must only give to God what is God’s, which is our whole heart and soul by doing that which He uniquely created us to do.

So my challenge for you today is to make that commitment. Open your heart to the will of God. Listen to His instruction for your life. When the Lord says, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” Be like Isaiah and respond, “Here am I. Send me!” With all the blessings God gives us, the only payment we must give to God is ourselves. Amen.

Sermon on Luke 10:1-16

Sermon on Luke 10:1-16
Given 13 November 2016 (Remembrance Sunday) at Studley Parish Centre

Mark 10:45 tells us “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” This verse highlights that even Jesus himself served others, just as we should do.

As Christians, we are called to serve in the name of Christ. We have all heard that actions speak louder than words and James 1:22 declares, “Be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” Thus, service is very much a cornerstone of Christianity. Christ served us with His works and ultimate death on the cross, and we serve Him as a form of praise and love for our neighbour.

Today’s reading from Luke talks about Jesus sending out His servants. He gave them instructions to heal the sick and give a blessing to all, even those who refused it. It’s important to note that Jesus didn’t expect His disciples to decipher who deserved a blessing, promoting the idea of loving all people without judgement.

In today’s modern society, it would be quite easy to look at this story and many other stories from the Bible and say, “it was so long ago, it doesn’t apply to me. I can’t possibly do the things the Bible talks about.” But that mindset forgets that Christ is eternal. Just as He called the 72, He calls each and every Christian to serve His Father, Our Father.

But what does it mean to serve? In a few moments we will gather around the cenotaph to honour those who have served their country. There are parallels we can draw between military service and Christian service. In World War I, the soldiers were called to serve their King; Today, we are called to serve our heavenly King. They served on the battlefields of Europe; we serve on the battlefield of life. They were armed with weapons of destructions; we are armed with the greatest weapon of all: LOVE.

John Wesley summarised the Christian calling when he proclaimed, “Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can.” This motto clarifies that Christians are not called to be perfect, but rather to be as good as we can.

In Chapter 12 of Romans, Paul puts this idea into more practical terms instructing us that “Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to on another in love. Honour one another above yourselves… Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need… bless those who persecute you… rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another.”

As a young mother working 40 hours a week and trying to juggle the roles of Christian, wife, mother, friend, cook, cleaner, etc., etc. I have been fortunate to receive Christian service. I know when a friend says, “Let me know if you need anything” they genuinely mean it. But I am fortunate. There are so many people in this world struggling day to day just to get by. Sometimes something as simple as holding a door open can make all the difference in someone’s life. The smallest actions done with love can make and amazing impact. So, as Christians, let us seek to do all things with love.

And in our daily lives, let us remember to serve the Lord in all the ways that we can. In closing, please join me in saying the Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi, which reminds us that we are all called to serve:

Lord, Make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy. O, Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; it is in dying that we are born again to eternal life. Amen